Spacecraft and Expendable Vehicles Status Report for Feb. 27

MISSION: TDRS-I (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-I)

LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin ATLAS IIA (AC-143)

LAUNCH PAD: 36-A Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

LAUNCH DATE: March 8, 2002

LAUNCH WINDOW: 5:39 – 6:19 p.m. EST

SPACECRAFT CURRENT LOCATION: Pad 36-A

At SAEF-2, loading of the spacecraft with propellants was
completed on Feb. 20 and the spacecraft was mated to the payload adapter on
Feb. 22. The operation to encapsulate TDRS-I into the payload fairing was
performed on Feb. 23-24.

TDRS-I was transported to Pad 36-A in the pre-dawn hours of Feb.
26 and hoisted atop the Atlas II vehicle. The Composite Electrical Test
(CERT) is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 28. This is an integrated checkout
of the launch vehicle and spacecraft.

On Monday, March 4, the RP1 fuel, a highly refined kerosene, will
be loaded aboard the Atlas first stage. This will be followed next Tuesday
and Wednesday with installation of launch vehicle ordnance and servicing of
hypergolic systems. Closeouts of the Atlas IIA and TDRS-I are scheduled for
Thursday, Mar. 7.

The Flight Readiness Review will be held on Monday, Mar. 4.

MISSION: Aqua EOS-PM (Earth Observing System Aqua Observatory)

LAUNCH VEHICLE: DELTA II 7920-10L

LAUNCH PAD: Space Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg Air Force Base

LAUNCH DATE: April 18, 2002

LAUNCH WINDOW: 2:54:58 – 3:04:58 a.m. PST

The Aqua spacecraft arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base on
Feb. 25. Preparations for final prelaunch testing are underway.

The Delta II upgraded Automatic Destruct System was cleared for
flight and erection of the vehicle began this week at SLC-2W.

The first stage was erected on Monday, Feb. 25, and the solid
rocket boosters are now being attached. The second stage will be hoisted
into position atop the first stage on Friday, Mar. 1.

MISSION: NOAA-M Polar Orbiter

LAUNCH VEHICLE: USAF Titan II

LAUNCH PAD: Space Launch Complex 4 West, Vandenberg Air Force Base

LAUNCH DATE: June 25, 2002

LAUNCH WINDOW: 11:22 – 11:32 a.m. PST

The NOAA-M spacecraft is at the Lockheed Martin plant in
Sunnyvale, Calif. and is now tentatively planned for shipment to Vandenberg
on Apr. 26. The spacecraft will be processed at NASA spacecraft hangar 1610
on North Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Erection of the Titan II/G-14 booster for NOAA-M will take place
in late March after routine corrosion control and maintenance is completed
at the launch pad, currently anticipated to be finished by Apr 1.